Chapter 65
Make a move
Yin Xingwei has been somewhat irritable these past few days because he's been pestered by Jin Hui.
"On the first day, she asked me to go to a revolving restaurant for a candlelight dinner, but I declined because I was abroad."
"The next day, she greeted me good morning, shared photos of her lunch, and in the evening she said she was too lonely and asked me when I would come back."
The confrontation between Mingyue and Longhua has begun, requiring frequent discussions on countermeasures.
To avoid suspicion and the hassle of traveling, Yin Xing bought an apartment at Xingguang Shuixie and pretended to be the owner.
That evening, in the building next to Lu Mingxiao's house, in a ground-floor apartment with a basement, he invited everyone over for a housewarming party.
Cheng Wang arrived first, followed closely by Lu Mingxiao and Luo Qingyue.
To help everyone relax, Luo Qingyue brought a giant board game and laid it on the living room floor.
There were exactly four people, four different colors, sitting around the chessboard. Then Yin Xingwei started talking about how Jin Hui had taken the initiative to flirt with him.
"The third day, which was yesterday."
Luo Qingyue rolled a "three" on the dice, but did not move her own red piece forward.
Yin Xingwei's vivid and engaging storytelling piqued her interest, and she looked at him, waiting for him to continue. Lu Mingxiao and Cheng Wang did the same.
Yin Xingwei sneered: "One Joe isn't enough, he even dares to try and possess me."
After he finished speaking, he reached behind him onto the coffee table, picked up his phone, found the chat history, and showed it to everyone.
The photo Jin Hui sent was of a double bed with a heart pattern made of burgundy rose petals on the white sheets.
In the center of the rose, Jin Hui's fingers were slightly bent, forming half a heart shape. She said the other half was left for Yin Xingwei to fill, and the same was true for the double bed.
Luo Qingyue leaned closer to the screen and chuckled teasingly, "Sister Jin just wanted to chat with you under the covers, what's wrong with you? Your mind is full of dirty thoughts."
"Sister Jin, that sounds quite natural."
Yin Xing urged Luo Qingyue to move her chess piece, saying, "Don't you know how Jin Hui made his fortune in his early years?"
Luo Qingyue looked blank. Cheng Wang picked up the dice and explained to her, "Jin Hui has had two marriages. Without exception, both were with wealthy men who dumped their original wives to be with her. Although both ended in divorce, she gained a huge amount of assets and then transformed into a well-known female entrepreneur."
Luo Qingyue didn't know what expression to make. Yin Xingwei rolled a "six" and moved the blue chess piece.
"In short, Jin Hui is quite adept at using her feminine charm as a means to achieve her goals and maximize her own advantages. It has to be said that this is a very clever tactic."
Not everyone can be as reckless as Jin Hui, Luo Qingyue agreed, and then heard Cheng Wang add.
“There used to be a lot of reports like this. Gossip media analyzed her rise to power in great detail, but then they all disappeared.”
Luo Qingyue looked at Yin Xingwei: "You've only met me once, yet you're acting so aggressively. You must have ulterior motives."
Yin Xingwei countered, "Could it be because my unparalleled charisma deeply attracted her?"
Lu Mingxiao's yellow chess piece was the first to reach the finish line.
"So you were talking to us about Jin Hui just to show off."
"I was just saying it casually. Do you really think I can't see through her little tricks?"
After explaining, Yin Xingwei glanced at the chat history again and said, "It's interesting that you dare to use such tactics on me."
Lu Mingxiao understood his subtext: "President Yin intends to accept this invitation?"
Yin Xingwei slapped his forehead, annoyed, and said, "I was so busy watching Shen Hao's antics that I forgot to mention that Jin Hui asked me directly when we met last time, 'Who do you think is more promising, Long Hua or Ming Yue?'"
Yin Xing pretended to talk to Jin Hui about cooperation, but without a doubt, he chose Long Hua.
Luo Qingyue was not surprised as he continued to tell Lu Mingxiao, "Believe it or not, Jin Hui's purpose in approaching me is most likely related to you."
Luo Qingyue guessed, "She wants to use you or form a powerful alliance to do something to A Xiao and Ming Yue."
Yin Xingwei was a man of action, and he immediately sent a message to Jin Hui, who replied very quickly.
They arranged to meet the following night. Yin Xing, wanting to make the first move, chose the Platinum Club, and Jin Hui readily agreed.
Luo Qingyue couldn't help but praise: "President Yin is a true hero. He said, 'I would never sacrifice myself,' but when honor and disgrace are at stake, he bravely steps forward and dedicates himself."
Yin Xingwei got up without tidying up and went into the bedroom.
When he came out, Luo Qingyue saw that he was holding a dark blue jewelry box in his palm.
Earrings were an accessory that Yin Xingwei never lacked, and Luo Qingyue wore a different one every time she saw him.
He sat back down, opened the jewelry box, and revealed two earrings with the same six-pointed star pattern and vines entwining them.
“This is not an ordinary earring, but a custom-made listening device.”
Yin Xingwei explained, "The device on the left is the transmitter, which I'll wear tomorrow night. The device on the right is the receiver, which I'll leave to you all. I sincerely invite you to watch the drama unfold online and get firsthand information. How about that, isn't that generous enough?"
Jin Hui is no pushover, and Yin Xingwei isn't much better.
The legendary clash of masters, a battle of titans, was incredibly exciting, and Luo Qingyue certainly couldn't possibly miss it.
There are limitations on the range of use of eavesdropping devices; Yin Xingwei set it to be 100 meters.
Therefore, he sent over the private room number with Jin Hui, and Lu Mingxiao immediately followed suit, opening a room in the same location downstairs.
Yin Xingwei and Jin Hui agreed to meet at nine o'clock. Luo Qingyue and Lu Mingxiao arrived at eight-thirty. Cheng Wang, on the other hand, consciously avoided being a third wheel and left the opportunity to watch the drama unfold to them. In any case, he would find out about any news very quickly anyway.
The receiver of the eavesdropping device can be connected to a mobile phone.
Last night, Lu Mingxiao downloaded the customized app and tested it with Yin Xingwei.
Luo Qingyue ordered some drinks and snacks, and after the waiter brought them over, she locked the door of the private room.
He sat back down on the sofa, took an earphone from Lu Mingxiao, and heard Yin Xingwei's voice on the other end.
"Attention all departments, I have arrived at the Platinum Parking Lot. Jin Hui's car is coming this way."
"I put on a gentlemanly persona in front of her, and although I was reluctant, I still had to get out of the car and personally greet her."
Yin Xingwei sighed, making his reluctance crystal clear.
Luo Qingyue's adrenaline surged, she focused her attention, and her whole being was in a state of excitement.
The next moment, she heard the sound of the car door opening, followed by greetings from Yin Xingwei and Jin Hui.
Luo Qingyue turned her head to look at Lu Mingxiao: "Did you notice that Jin Hui didn't call him President Yin, but 'James'?"
James is a name that Yin Xingwei only uses when he's flirting.
Lu Mingxiao gave an affirmative answer: "I have a reasonable suspicion that Yin Xingwei had already sent a strong signal during our last meeting, just waiting for Jin Hui to take the bait."
Luo Qingyue immediately understood: "So, he may seem annoyed on the surface, but he's actually enjoying it inside, even secretly happy, right?"
Lu Mingxiao smiled faintly: "In the final analysis, it's all for Mingyue and me."
"As expected of President Yin."
Luo Qingyue was full of admiration, "It was the first ingenious plan that allowed us to have this second confrontation."
Lu Mingxiao: "He has always been like this, doing far more than he tells us."
Yin Xingwei and Jin Hui entered the elevator, but the signal was interfered with, making it difficult to hear clearly.
Lu Mingxiao poured fruit wine into Luo Qingyue's glass, and Luo Qingyue opened a potato chip and fed one to Lu Mingxiao's lips.
They exited the elevator, and the voices became clear again.
They talked about the weather and the decorations in the hallway, but nothing particularly important.
Luo Qingyue listened listlessly until Yin Xingwei and Jin Hui entered the private room.
Jin Hui: "I have never seen anyone who looks more handsome in a suit than you. Every time I look at you, I feel a strange flutter in my heart."
“This was specially made for Ahui. I’m happy as long as Ahui likes it.”
Yin Xingwei paused, then changed the subject, "Ah Hui, this dress is also very beautiful. It complements your skin tone very well. You look like an elf that has fallen to earth. I can't help but be attracted to you."
Luo Qingyue almost choked on her potato chips, took a sip of fruit wine, and looked like she was questioning the meaning of life.
"So even masters use such corny language when they're sparring."
Lu Mingxiao aptly summarized: "It's all pretense and insincerity; it's so down-to-earth that it makes people feel more at ease."
The experts were drinking, singing, and dancing in the private room when the music abruptly stopped an hour later.
Jin Hui coaxed Yin Xingwei for a hug, and Yin Xingwei probably agreed. Luo Qingyue heard them fall onto the sofa.
Jin Hui, slightly out of breath, said, "We've gotten this far together, I have a request, you won't refuse, will you?"
Luo Qingyue heard a kiss, and in an instant Yin Xingwei said, "Ahui's affairs are my affairs. I am willing to serve Ahui, even if it means going to heaven or hell."
Now that we're getting down to business, Luo Qingyue held her breath and gripped Lu Mingxiao's hand tightly.
What exactly does Jin Hui plan to do to Mingyue? She continued listening with this question in mind.
Without warning, a soft female voice entered my ears again: "There's someone I hate so much I want to dig him out of the ground."
Yin Xingwei asked her which bastard she was, and Jin Hui answered directly: "Zong Ming, the former president of Longhua."
The entire automotive industry knows about the relationship between Lu Mingxiao and Zong Ming.
Upon hearing the familiar name, Luo Qingyue parted her lips slightly and looked at Lu Mingxiao.
"She's trying to use Uncle Zong to threaten you."
Lu Mingxiao was not surprised at all: "There is another reason. Many of Longhua's existing partners signed contracts and gave preferential policies because of Lao Zong's face. If he doesn't show up, they can't explain it. It's a desperate plan to kill two birds with one stone."
Jin Hui naturally couldn't reveal her true intentions.
Even if she didn't say it, Luo Qingyue believed that Yin Xingwei could guess it.
"Give up, you old hag, our CEO Yin will never agree to that."
Luo Qingyue thought that Lu Mingxiao would agree with her.
Unexpectedly, he said, "No, he will agree."
Luo Qingyue looked puzzled, but Lu Mingxiao pulled her into his arms and said with a smile.
"Otherwise, how could Jin Hui let him escape unscathed?"
As expected, Yin Xing did it to coax Jin Hui.
Even if we have to search the entire globe, we will find Zongming.
He was so sincere that Luo Qingyue almost believed that he had joined the enemy camp.
Lu Mingxiao appeared optimistic: "Finding someone isn't something you can do just by talking about it today and expecting to find them tomorrow. Our CEO Yin is very good at using excuses to stall for time."
Luo Qingyue also relaxed: "Even if we take a step back, Uncle Zong's house is very safe. Not even mosquitoes can fly in, let alone those two stinking maggots, Shen Hao and Jin Hui."
Lu Mingxiao hummed "hmm" and clinked his wine glass with Luo Qingyue's.
"Their plan is impossible to implement. Why don't we make a move and teach Longhua a lesson?"
Luo Qingyue became interested and cupped Lu Mingxiao's face in her hands: "What do you plan to do?"
During this period, Shen Hao and Jin Hui have been making frequent moves.
The business war they are waging is neither the first nor the last.
For Lu Mingxiao, having experienced so much, there's nothing to fear; he just needs to deal with it positively.
He felt really bad for making Luo Qingyue worried and upset.
Lu Mingxiao hugged the person in his arms tightly and stroked her long hair: "Forget Shen Hao and Jin Hui, I will take you to have a good weekend."
Luo Qingyue agreed without hesitation, and Lu Mingxiao asked her if there was any place she particularly wanted to go.
She thought for a moment and said with some excitement, "How about we leave Dongchuan and revisit Lefen Island?"
Lu Mingxiao smiled and said, "Believe it or not, that's what I think too."
Without any prior setup, their brainwaves were on the same frequency.
Luo Qingyue kissed Lu Mingxiao's cheek, her face full of joy.
The next morning, we boarded a private plane bound for Lefen Island.
When I revisited the old place, my mood was completely different because the relationship had changed.
It is pleasant, relaxing the body and mind, and even the air is filled with sweetness.
On the seaside terrace, the sea breeze blows gently, and the view is endless deep blue.
Luo Qingyue and Lu Mingxiao were having lunch under a huge parasol.
All the dishes were served, and the waiter told them to enjoy their meal before leaving.
Recalling her previous experience, Luo Qingyue dipped the squid rings in sauce and looked at Lu Mingxiao to complain.
"The almanac says today isn't a good day for swimming... I still get angry when I think about it now!"
As Lu Mingxiao ate his yellow curry snow crab, he couldn't help but laugh as he recounted the origin of the name.
Luo Qingyue looked at him unhappily: "I just want to see you show off your figure, but you're still pretending to be reserved."
"No, it wasn't installed."
Lu Mingxiao retorted, looking serious, “I’m very reserved.”
Luo Qingyue opened her eyes wide, revealing an expression of disbelief, and then breathed a soft sigh.
"Come and say that to me again when you've taken a shower and know how to dress properly."
Lu Mingxiao's idea was very simple.
Why put on clothes and then take them off? Isn't that redundant?
He might as well skip this step and hand himself over, thus saving the princess the trouble of working on him.
After lunch, they went back to their room to recharge. In the afternoon, Lu Mingxiao took Luo Qingyue snorkeling.
Before that, Lu Mingxiao first taught Luo Qingyue in the villa's swimming pool. Luo Qingyue listened attentively and practiced for several rounds until she reached a level that satisfied Lu Mingxiao before boarding the yacht and heading to the sea.
Because Luo Qingyue couldn't swim, Lu Mingxiao still raised the protective measures to the highest level.
Put a life jacket on her, put a life ring on her, pull her forward with a rope, and keep a close eye on her movements.
Luo Qingyue plunged her head into the water. The waters were unpolluted and the view was clear and bright.
Suddenly, Lu Mingxiao took out an underwater camera and pointed the lens at her. Luo Qingyue first gave him a peace sign, then made a heart shape with her hands, and finally they took a group photo underwater.
"Now I can finally understand what the fairyland you were talking about is like."
"Schools of fish swam around me, and there were coral reefs of different colors. It was indeed more beautiful and breathtaking than in photos and videos."
After snorkeling, we returned to the yacht.
Luo Qingyue lay on the deck, gazing at the orange-red sunset, eager to share her feelings with Lu Mingxiao.
Lu Mingxiao lay down beside her, listening attentively, and a smile unconsciously appeared on his face: "When I look at you, it's like I'm seeing the Little Mermaid. The whole ocean is your home."
Luo Qingyue recalled the comic "The Fisherman's Rooftop Love" and turned to wrap her arms around Lu Mingxiao's neck.
"Take the fishing rod, catch me, and I'll be yours."
Lu Mingxiao responded with a soft “hmm”: “Then I’ll use myself as bait, and from now on, I’ll hold Xiaoyue’er firmly.”
Luo Qingyue kissed Lu Mingxiao's lips and whispered in his ear, "No matter what happens, I will be with you. I am your strong support, and so is our Luo family."
My chest was filled with warmth, and a gentle breeze caressed my cheeks.
Words seemed pale at this moment, and Lu Mingxiao wanted to respond with a deep kiss.
Just as he was about to cover Luo Qingyue, she sat up on the deck, pointed to the azure sea, and exclaimed in surprise.
"Ah Xiao, look! It's a dolphin!"
Luo Qingyue got up, ran to the bow of the ship, and grabbed the railing. Lu Mingxiao followed closely behind her.
There is not just one dolphin, but a group of them. They leap out of the water and fall back into it, in a continuous cycle.
The dolphins moved very quickly, and before Luo Qingyue could even grab her phone to take a picture, they had already disappeared, and the sea returned to calm.
Fortunately, Lu Mingxiao's underwater camera was right there, capturing a precious image of Luo Qingyue with the dolphins. Luo Qingyue was very satisfied: "I've noticed that you always take better pictures of me than others, even better than my selfies."
Lu Mingxiao said proudly, "Photos can reflect the photographer's emotional state. I captured you with love through my lens, so it's definitely one of a kind."
A classic scene from the movie flashed through her mind: Luo Qingyue opening her arms to the sea breeze.
Lu Mingxiao wrapped his arms around Luo Qingyue's waist from behind, resting his head on her shoulder, and an ambiguous atmosphere spread around them.
Luo Qingyue said in a light voice, "I heard that seeing wild dolphins can bring you good luck for the whole year. Last time we didn't even see a shadow of them. We're very lucky today."
"I've been diving at sea hundreds of times, and this is the first time I've ever seen this."
Lu Mingxiao said, "That must be thanks to Xiaoyue'er, who brought me good luck."
"Okay, it's all thanks to me."
Luo Qingyue readily agreed, "Please treat me well tonight, Mr. Lu."
Lu Mingxiao whispered in Luo Qingyue's ear, "I think the yacht looks pretty good, but I haven't tried it yet."
Luo Qingyue smiled slightly: "What I mean is, I want to have a barbecue by the sea, so you make it for me."
...
The two-day, one-night trip still felt too short and left us wanting more.
Free from the distractions of work and mundane matters, Luo Qingyue boarded the plane for her return journey, and beautiful memories swirled in her mind.
Fortunately, she and Lu Mingxiao are together, and there will be many more opportunities to come to Lefen Island or go to other places in the future. Thinking about it this way, she has no regrets.
We arrived at the Starlight Pavilion at 10 p.m.
Luo Qingyue and Lu Mingxiao had just entered the house when Yin Xingwei arrived right behind them.
Yin Xingwei had always been thinking about the rare wines in Lu Mingxiao's wine cabinet.
Given his sacrifices and dedication to Mingyue, Lu Mingxiao generously allowed him to choose whatever he wanted.
Yin Xingwei took out two bottles and then told them, "Last night, Shen Hao hired three people to beat Joe up on his way home from get off work."
"A week has passed since the delayed retaliation."
Luo Qingyue sat on the sofa in shock, "How badly is Joe injured?"
Yin Xingwei sat down in the single seat next to her, rubbing his forehead and sighing softly.
"I fractured my right shinbone. I arranged for me to be hospitalized and found someone to take good care of me."
Lu Mingxiao placed the washed red grapes on the coffee table.
"Joe is a professional boxer, yet he still got outsmarted by Shen Hao's men."
"No matter how skilled he is, he can't withstand a sneak attack."
Yin Xingwei cursed, "A bunch of scoundrels, just like their master."
Joe works part-time as a bartender at a friend's bar.
I get off work at 2 a.m., and on my way home I pass through a dark alley.
It was there that Shen Hao's men, armed with baseball bats, charged toward Joe.
Shen Hao will not let anyone who gets close to Jin Hui go unpunished.
After Luo Qingyue finished speaking, she looked at Yin Xingwei and said, "Then you have to be careful. It's easy for him to target you now."
Yin Xingwei had no worries about this.
"The reason I signed up with Jin Hui for Platinum is because there are requirements to get into Platinum."
Luo Qingyue understood: "Shen Hao's personal assets don't meet this threshold. Unless he receives an invitation from Jin Hui, he can't go alone, so you're unlikely to run into him."
Yin Xingwei: "That makes sense."
"But we can't rule out the possibility that Jin Hui deliberately exposed you."
Lu Mingxiao said, "You verbally agreed to help her find Lao Zong, but secretly you cut off contact with her. In short, we can't let our guard down."
Yin Xing responded, and then asked, "You've already spoken to Zongming, haven't you?"
Lu Mingxiao gave an affirmative answer.
That was on the plane to Lefen Island, while Luo Qingyue was taking a nap.
Because he didn't want to spoil her good mood while she was out having fun.
"Old Zong sent me a scanned copy of his handwritten letter, asking me to pass it on to the partners who signed contracts with Longhua because of him."
As Lu Mingxiao spoke, he found the document on his phone and showed it to them. At the end, he stamped Zongming's unique seal.
On Monday morning, a high-level meeting was held at Mingyue.
Lu Mingxiao originally planned to make a move against Longhua as planned, but unexpectedly, Shen Hao struck first.
A user posted on a well-known car forum that the new flagship model M1 of the Mingyue brand, which was promoted at the beginning of the year, not only had serious abnormal noises after being purchased for a week, but the accelerator pedal and braking system also failed at the same time. The car crashed into the highway guardrail, and the airbags did not deploy. The couple in the car suffered severe head injuries and bled, and were taken to the hospital by ambulance.
The post was copied to social media platforms, and Shen Hao quickly reposted it, within five minutes of each other.
Shen Hao accused the Mingyue car of having quality flaws and disregarding consumers' lives, and under the hashtag #MingyueM1CarAccident#, a flood of accusations swept in.
Lu Mingxiao went to the hospital to visit the injured as soon as possible.
The official Weibo account of Mingyue also promised to investigate the matter thoroughly and give an explanation to all customers who trust Mingyue.
Luo Qingyue was not idle either; she mobilized eight hundred marketing accounts to praise Mingyue's actions and sense of responsibility.
They also gave Shen Hao a big gift, since there were quite a few posts on the forum complaining about the quality of new cars in Longhua.
Moreover, Lu Mingxiao had mentioned to her that the reason Longhua's cars were able to sell so well was because their appearance was copied from foreign luxury brands, but the price was drastically reduced, which is why so many people bought them.
The marketing accounts acted quickly; as soon as Lu Mingxiao returned from visiting Shen Hao in the hospital, the entire internet had already given him a boost in publicity.
Tonight they're staying at Guanjiangyue. Luo Qingyue scrolled through social media and told Lu Mingxiao, "Shen Hao is covering his mouth. If anyone says there's a problem with the cars from Longhua, they'll send them a lawyer's letter. Some customers even went to the entrance of Longhua to protest, but they were all labeled as Mingyue's paid shills. They even dared to call the police."
This was their usual tactic, and Lu Mingxiao was not surprised at all.
“Shen Hao and I have a long-standing grudge, and now it’s time to resolve it completely.”
After two days of investigation by Mingyue engineers, the vehicle was disassembled and its driving records were retrieved.
The M1 that crashed into the highway guardrail was illegally modified, affecting the operation of the entire vehicle's infotainment system, which was the direct cause of the abnormal noise and the accident.
Due to human error, Mingyue could have avoided taking responsibility, but instead, it voluntarily covered all medical expenses, earning praise and a good reputation.
Lu Mingxiao's counterattack against Shen Hao was to hire professional car reviewers to conduct a live disassembly of Longhua's cars, exposing the use of worn-out and substandard parts inside the new cars. At the same time, he also brought to the forefront evidence of Longhua's sales fraud and infringement of Mingyue's patents.
Just when Luo Qingyue was full of confidence, thinking that Long Hua was powerless to fight back.
Zongming's personal Weibo account, which had been inactive for a long time, posted a video, causing a huge uproar.
"I have dedicated myself to Longhua for over 20 years, and I guarantee with my personal integrity that there will be no quality issues. Please feel free to purchase."
In the video, Zong Ming sat calmly on the sofa, then clenched his fist and angrily denounced, "On the other hand, Mingyue fooled consumers, hired online trolls to frame Longhua, creating the illusion that everyone was speaking for them. I really misjudged Lu Mingxiao. It turns out he is the scheming, deceitful, and wicked villain!"
[Author's Note]
Finally figured it out! [crying emoji] [crying emoji] [crying emoji]
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